Horror Genre Conforming to Distict

Horror Genre Post When looking at the setting of horror films there are reoccurring locations which are seen as iconic and vital to create suspense and a sinister atmosphere. A typical setting might include dense forest, a post apocalyptic wasteland, an ‘uninhabited’ ghost town or a derelict house or mental institution; all tend to be isolated. However, I believe that suspense can be created in any setting, given the correct lighting, camera angle, sound effects etc. The lighting is usually low key, creating a shadowy effect, where the viewer is never quite sure exactly what they can see, in the same way that the protagonist is unsure of his or her surroundings. This creates a feeling of vulnerability and makes the audience feel empathetic towards the victim. Scenes often begin with extreme long shots which pan across to establish the setting. Low shots often include nothing but the aggressor’s feet or deliberately avoid the perpetrator’s face which magnifies the fear of the unknown. Close ups are used to show emotion and tension on character’s faces. In the Horror genre, people are often tortured and killed slowly. Therefore, the use of guns is less prevalent than other weapons. Some iconic instruments of torture might include chainsaws, knives, hammers, pickaxes etc. The ‘Saw’ franchise revolutionised the horror genre and popularised ‘Torture Porn’. Masks are commonly used in horror movies to hide the identity of the perpetrator which increases the fear of the unknown. A modern popular narrative of the genre often includes a group of young friends who go travelling. They will then find themselves in an isolated location, where, one-by-one they are picked off and murdered. Another more traditional scenario is that of a vulnerable woman being stalked or locked inside her own home with the aggressor. This often has more of a psychological nature than pure mutilation. The perpetrator in horror genre usually involves someone who is mentally unstable, or has been jilted or is in love with the main protagonist. They are also supernatural beings such as ghosts, zombies or vampires. Most commonly the murderer is male, however, some films go against this convention, for example ‘Orphan’. The victims can be any type of character, but generally not the main protagonist who usually survives. They are often portrayed as stupid or in some way degraded or unworthy. The first to be slaughtered are often ethnic minorities and those with low morals. Teenage girls who drink, do drugs, and have sex are usually killed off first, whereas the subtly beautiful girl who is seen as virginal and pure are usually saved. A re-occurring theme of the genre is that of unrequited love or obsession such as ‘Misery’ where unusually the torturer is a middle-aged woman. Although some horror films are satanic from the beginning, many begin with a light -hearted atmosphere which gradually becomes darker and more frightening. Something happens to disrupt the equilibrium and the genre changes. Fantasy romance/horror is also a key theme, especially in recent years, with films such as ‘Labyrinth’ ‘Dracula’ ‘Sleepy Hollow’ and the ‘Twilight,’ franchise, were the main characters are vampires, werewolves and zombies.